VASFAA Conference May 19, 2014 Patricia A. Popp, Ph.D., State Coordinator Project HOPE – Virginia The College of William & Mary Mary Herrington-Babb, Coordinator Richmond Public Schools

Highlight key McKinney-Vento EHCY requirements Define homelessness Liaisons K-12 Enrollment College transition Virginia specific Resources Your questions

Causes Poverty Substance Abuse Domestic Violence Mental Illness Affordable Housing Physical Illness Economic crises Impact  Absenteeism is greater  Developmental delays occur at 4 times the rate reported for other children  Learning disabilities identified at double the rate  Twice as likely to repeat a grade

Title X, Part C 2001 Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth : sharing housing due to loss of housing or economic hardship living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate housing living in emergency or transitional housi ng

Including children and youth :  abandoned in hospitals  awaiting foster care  having a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, regular sleeping accommodations

 living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations  migratory students meeting the description  unaccompanied youth meeting the description  How eligibility is determined by a liaison: efs/det_elig.pdf

Fixed: Stationary, permanent, and not subject to change Regular: Used on a predictable, routine, or consistent basis (e.g. nightly) Adequate: Sufficient for meeting both the physical and psychological needs typically met in home environments Can the student go to the SAME PLACE (fixed) EVERY NIGHT (regular) to sleep in a SAFE AND SUFFICIENT SPACE (adequate)?

Appoint a local homeless education liaison in every LEA For Virginia liaisons, visit: Provide outreach and coordination to identify students

Enroll students immediately in local school OR Maintain student enrollment in the school of origin when feasible and in the student’s best interest Includes transportation Even across school division lines Get the student enrolled and keep the student enrolled!

Approx. one-third are families 1.6 million children – one in 45 experience homelessness (NCFH) 1,168,354 in SY , a 24% increase over three years (VA – 27%) NCHE State Profile Pages

71% increase

Mary Herrington-Babb, Regional Coordinator (t) – (f)

School Year # IUY Identified MaleFemale

(1) No longer enrolled at time of graduation (2) Schools include: Huguenot, Armstrong, George Wythe, and John Marshall *Data is tentative and based on student’s final decisions/academic outcome* School Year # of Seniors Identified # Graduated Higher Ed Vocational School or Program Enter Militar y RetainedNLE (1) (2) 1 (2) 4 (2)

2-step process 1) Does the student’s living arrangement meet the McKinney-Vento Act’s definition of homeless? 2) Once homelessness is determined, is the student unaccompanied? Unaccompanied = “not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian”; in practical terms, this means the youth does not live with the parent or guardian

485% increase since

Families are expected to contribute to higher education costs to the extent to which they are able (“expected family contribution” or EFC) FAFSA Cannot be filed before January 1st preceding the academic year in which the student wishes to enroll For dependent students, filling out the FAFSA requires income and asset information for both the student and a parent, and a parent signature For independent students, no parental signature or income and asset information is needed 101

Youth who meet the definition of “independent student” can apply for federal aid without parental income information or signature. Unaccompanied youth are automatically considered independent students. Must be verified as unaccompanied and homeless during the school year when application is submitted. Youth who are unaccompanied, at risk of homelessness, and self-supporting are also automatically considered independent students Must be verified as such during the school year in which the application is submitted.

Verification must be made by: McKinney-Vento Act school district liaison HUD homeless assistance program director or designee Runaway and Homeless Youth Act program director or designee Financial aid administrator. (see form) If a student does not have, and cannot get, verification from liaison or shelter provider, the FAA must determine eligibility based on legal definitions of homelessness and unaccompanied

Access and success Housing Food Security Health Care Transportation

College level liaisons SPOCs in Colorado (MV Single Points of Contact) Learning from Child Welfare Guardian Scholars Program Higher Education Initiative May 30, 2014

“I always wanted to be amazing.” – Sunny “Homelessness is nothing but barriers.” – Brandy “One caring, compassionate teacher changed my life.” – Nick

--Florida LeTendre Scholarship Recipient 32

HMSE_PICS.mpg

Project HOPE-Virginia The College of William & Mary P. O. Box 8795 Williamsburg, VA (toll free) (fax)

HUD Virginia Resources - =homeless =homeless NAEHCY – NCHE - NLCHP - NLIHC – Project HOPE-VA: USDE -

Unaccompanied Youth Toolkit it.pdf it.pdf Housing + High School = Success Higher Education Resources hp hp